Dublin, Ireland
June 25, 2009
The total tillage area in Ireland
has reduced by 20 per cent this year compared to that sown in
2008 due to difficult weather and poor market conditions.
Farmers attending the Teagasc
Tillage Open Day at Knockbeg research farm in Carlow today,
Thursday 25 June, heard how recent market conditions have placed
great strain on the sector and despite some positive signs over
the past few weeks the latest collapse in barley prices is a
source of big disappointment for the sector.
Speaking at the Teagasc open day, the head of the Crops Research
Centre, Professor Jimmy Burke said: “Those in the tillage sector
now have a chance to make business decisions uninfluenced by
subsidies and must respond to market signals if they are to
prevent loosing money. Technical efficiency is the critical
factor influencing profitability and competitiveness and farmers
who ignore this reality will not survive.”
He said: ”Farmers wishing to expand must be able to live on the
price paid for farm products as well as carrying the costs
arising from environmental compliance, food safety and quality
issues. Increasing scale to become more efficient is only
sustainable if it generates a return on investment. EU subsidy
payments now have no bearing on production, with price, and
ultimately profitability resting with the farmer and the
vagaries of the market place.“
New Teagasc research showing a very significant shift in
fungicide insensitivity to a major wheat disease called Septoria
was of particular interest to cereal growers attending the open
day. Dr Eugene O' Sullivan a plant pathologist at the Teagasc
Crops Research Centre, Oak Park said: “This shift could threaten
current disease control strategies. He pointed out that detailed
DNA analysis of the less sensitive isolates by Teagasc
scientists also show a previously rare mutation, S524T, which
might be contributing to the recent findings. Teagasc researcher
Dr Steven Kildea said: "There is a good correlation between it,
in combination with two other previously known mutations, and
the lower sensitivity."
The draft pesticides directive and plans relating to soil carbon
levels which are about to be introduced, are of concern to
farmers. Some tillage farmers will be required to test their
farms this year to ascertain their soil carbon levels and take
remedial action where the levels are found to be low. Results
presented today show that if straw is incorporated after harvest
then tillage farming is carbon neutral.
Teagasc has extended its BETTER Farm programme to tillage and
details of the three participating farms were outlined at the
open day. The Tillage BETTER farms are located in Wexford, Cork
and on the Dublin/Meath border.
Jim O Mahony of Teagasc said that an intensive advisory service,
combined with on-farm research trials on these commercial farms,
will be used by Teagasc to encourage more tillage farmers to
adopt the latest technologies available. Open days for farmers
to see the results on these farms are planned for next year. The
Teagasc BETTER farm programme is already operating successfully
in beef and sheep.
The Teagasc BETTER Tillage Farms are:
George and Ken Williamson, Ambrosetown, Duncormick, County
Wexford.
Joe and John O Donohue, Glassmerry House, Herbertstown,
Stamullen, County Meath.
John Crowley, Carigoon, Mallow, County Cork. |
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